Installed New Realtek driver on RC1 - Awesome sound

[Guest]

If you have any of the following Chips: ALC880, ALC882, ALC883, ALC885,
ALC888, ALC861, ALC861VD, ALC660, ALC260, ALC262, ALC268 from Realtek - get
the new driver (Driver Package R1.48 Vista driver Version: 5.10.0.5317) they
just posted to their site a few hours ago.

I'm running RC1 build 5600 on my notebook with the ALC880 sound card from
Realtek and I just did a smooth installation of their new driver and let me
tell you I'm impressed, what a difference. Not only is everything conected to
my audio working properly again but the sound is just unbelievable. Vista has
brought GREAT new features and a great new look, and now awesome sound, way
better then with XP pro. The guys at Realtek have out done themselves!

 

[ML]

Can you test EAX implementations? Is it better now or still just as
abysmal?

 

[Guest]

Sorry, can't help you there. I think Realtek's problems with EAX
implementation were mostly related to games, of which I have none. If you'd
like me to test it with a particular game, let me know and I'll see if
there's a demo version I can download.
If your simply refering to reverb settings it hasn't changed (there are 23
pre-set), but the sound has improved. I was rather disappointed with the
sound when I purchased this computer (LG P1 Express Dual) a few months ago.
With 24bit HD sound I was really expecting something nice but the sound
wasn't that great and the realtek reverb settings were terrible, I just
turned them off. That's why I was excited with the new driver. There is a big
improvement with the sound and I'm actually using the preset reverb to listen
to my music now (though some of the settings are still bad). On the whole
sound is so much better, whether due in part to vista or just the diver
update, I don't know.
With the new driver I do have access to the realtek control panel again and
one neat change is I can actually do a room correction with my digital
output, in which I can make environmental audio ajustments on each speaker
(up to 7 for 7.1 surround). But I suspect most would find it to much bother
to have to manuel set the sound for the room.
Let me know if you'd like me to do a EAX test, but some real life test, not
some bench mark test.